Animal-shears.



Jilin ma Nmws PETERS co. Moro-U1 Urtrrnn Starts Parent Orricsi HENRY R. BOET'IOHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

NlViAL-SHEARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent NO. 664,924, dated. Janualyl, 1901. I

Application filed MUCH 19, 1900. Serial No, 9,315. (No rnc-lol.;

To all 'wh/071i, t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY R. BOETTCHER, residing at No. 6336 Harvard avenue, Ohicago, (Englewood,) Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Animal-Shears, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to improvements in animal-shears of that class which are more particularly designed for shearing sheep and the like.

The object of the invention is to improve and simplify' the construction of devices of this character and especially those features thereof by which the tension upon the cutter is regulated, so as to produce a superior instrument, simple and economical to manufacture, and capable of working with but little friction and consequent wear.

The invention consists in the matters herein set forth, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, and will be fully understood from the following description of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of an animal-shears constructed in accordance with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, partly in section, on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of the vibrator. Fig. 4 is a perspective view in detail of the crank-shaft.

In said drawings, 1 designates the frame of the machine, and 2 the crank-shaft, which is journaled longitudinally within the handle thereof and which carries at its forward end awrist-pin 3. Avibratoraispivotallymounted to swing freely upon a stud 5, which rises from the base of the frame 1 some distance in front of the crankshaft 2, this vibrator being provided with an upwardly-projecting slotted lug 6, which receives the wrist-pin 3, and thus enables the rotary movement of the shaft to be transformed into an oscillatory movement of the vibrator. Any suitable universal joint or connection may be provided between the wrist-pin and vibrator, the same being herein shown as formed by a spherical or ball head on the wrist-pin, which lits within a cylindrical slot in the upright lug 6 of the vibrator, the mouth of said slot being sufficiently wider than the diameter of the wrist-pin to permit the necessary relative movement of the wrist-pin therein.

S designates a cutter-actuating lever or arm which is pivotally mounted at its rear end upon the vibrator 4L, while its other end projects forwardly over the Xed cutter or comb 9, which operatively engages the vibratory cutter 10, which rests movably upon said comb. As herein shown, the pivotal mounting of the rear end of the lever 8 is obtained by forming the latter with a downwardlyrounded terminal lug 11, which drops into a suitable coacting recess 12 in the vibrator.

Between its ends the lever 8 is apertured to fit over a hub or boss 13, which is formed on the vibrator at the pivotal point thereof and incloses the pivot-stud to afford a better bearing thereon. A cap 14C, large enough to inclose the boss 13, is then dropped over the upper'end of said stud and held adjustably in place, as by a thumb-nut 15, threaded upon the stud, a spring-washer 16 being desirably inserted between the thumb-nut and cap to cushion the pressure of the nut upon the lever 8. Suitable means are then provided for locking the nut in adjustable position, consisting in this instance of a spring-latch 17, the free end of which is adapted to engage notches 18 of the periphery 15 to hold the latter in any position in which it is rotated. Any suitable housing or cover 19 may be also provided to inclose the working parts as far as possible and exclude the dust and dirt therefrom.

The operation of the shears thus constructed will be readily understood. As the shaft rotates the vibrator Will be oscillated upon its pivot and its movement transmitted to the cutter by the lever or arm 8, the latter being so held by its pivotal lug 11 and its engagement with the hub 13 as to move with the vibrator and as a substantial part thereof. At the same time the independent vertical movement of the lever 8 upon the vibrator, due to its pivotal connection therewith, enables the tension or pressure between the movable cutter and iixed cutter or comb to be regulated as desired and the inevitable wear to be readily taken up as often as is necessary, a slight adjustment of the thumb- IOO nut l5 being all that is required to effect the necessary changes of pressure upon the lever 8, and consequently upon the cutter.

The improved construction thus described is thus not only of extreme simplicity and characterized by a comparatively small number of easily-formed parts, but is oapablenot1 operation With but little friction and with a minimum of Wear, which latter can be taken up or compensated for at every important point.

It Will be understood that various changes may be made in the details of the construction shown Without departing in any way from the broad spirit of the invention claimed.

I claim as my invention- In an animal-shears, the Combination of a frame carrying cutters at one end and an actuating-shaft at its other end and an intermediate rigid vertical pivot, a vibrator pivoted on said pivot and provided-with an upupper side of the lever, a'nut adjustably threaded on the upper end of the pivot, affording an adjustable pressure upon the lever through the medium of said cap, and means for locking the nut in its adj usted positions.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature, in presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 14th day of March, A. D, 1900.

H. R. BOETTCHER.

IVitnesses:

HENRY W. CARTER, N. R. BAILEY. 

